Lonpos Hands-On

Share.

A virtual puzzle with no pointer control? Say it ain't so.

By Bozon

Like Tetris, Lonpos is a game that has gotten a huge amount of attention across the budget PC, web, and cell phone platforms, as the basic ball puzzle is perfect for quick ports and simple designs. With it being a very popular series in Japan, it makes sense to have an official Lonpos title for the WiiWare launch.

The general premise behind Lonpos is simple, as you'll take pre-made blocks and fit them into a specific frame of space. Like the classic Tangrams puzzles, there's one right way to solve each puzzle, and it'll take a mix of strategy, spatial reasoning, and some trial and error to beat each challenge. The core game is fun, and the Wii version is true to the game's original design.

Unfortunately, like Tenshi no Solitaire, Lonpos isn't worth the cash it's asking for on Wii Ware. For 1,000 points (that's $10 bucks), players can download the main Lonpos experience, complete with single and multiplayer, rankings, as well as the option to also purchase a pay-per-play downloadable bundle (which we can't currently access) to flesh the product out. And while the game has more options than most of the titles out there on WiiWare right now, it's lacking in the presentation department a bit. The game runs in only 4:3 and 480i, and with other titles already available on WiiWare pushing 16:9 and 480p, it instantly looks dated.

On the control front, Lonpos offers two different modes. The default (originally what we thought was the only) control method is a clunky, uninspired way to play, featuring cursor movement with the d-pad, rather than the obvious choice of Wii IR control. Luckily, that mode is also in here, and while the basic concept of Lonpos still doesn't really strike us as a must-have 1,000 point game, the IR works well, allowing players to grab pieces with the B trigger, and then either tap the d-pad to rotate them, or twist their wrist to spin the pieces on the fly, with the A button used for a mirror flip. Pointer control is the preferred way to play by far, but it still doesn't add up to the 1,000 point product from what we've played thus far, and we certainly wouldn't go out of our way to pay even more to download additional content on top of the main package.